Local Sports

Pomperaug lining up for football success BY MARK JAFFEEREPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

SOUTHBURY — On the opening morning of preseason camp, Pomperaug High head football coach Chuck Drury wore a T-shirt with the slogan on the back: “Pomperaug Football 2009. No weights. No states.”

Drury, a former wrestling coach and weightlifting fanatic, is thrilled with his team’s offseason conditioning as the practice season gets under way.

“I don’t care much for 40 (yard dash) times, although the kids do,” noted Drury. “What I care about is kids getting off the ball quickly. If they are quick and agile, we will be successful.”

Pomperaug defensive coordinator and line coach John Pereira recently had the pleasure of watching five team members — juniors Willie Maxen, an offensive guard, and Kevin Maxen, an offensive tackle, and seniors CJ Elser, a tight end, Dan Reel, a defensive end, and Dean Samuelson, an offensive guard and defensive tackle — win the first Connecticut Linemen Challenge on Aug. 5 at Berlin High.

The Pomperaug quintet, along with players from 14 other schools, including Class LL powers Southington and New Britain, competed in a drills of speed, agility and strength.

“We started at 10 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m., and we headed to China Buffet on the Berlin Turnpike to celebrate,” said Pereira.

Drury noted that Willie Maxen also won the individual title at a Linemen Clinic at New Canaan High. That clinic was comprised of many players from the FCIAC and South-West Conference.

Drury added that winning titles is a motivator for his linemen, but not the end-all.

“They are competing to get better and that is the main objective,” said Drury. “There are passing leagues for quarterbacks and receivers (and running backs), but linemen usually just have weightlifting competitions and run. This gives them another (viable) option.”

A year ago, after a 1-4 start, Pomperaug won five of its final six games to finish a respectable 6-5.

Familiar face: Dave Roach, a former Pomperaug player and assistant coach, has returned to Drury’s coaching staff as the Panthers’ head freshman coach after a year away. He replaces Tom Teta, who spent more than three decades leading the freshmen.

Roach, who was the athletic director at Housatonic Valley in Falls Village last season, will teach freshmen and sophomore World History at Pomperaug.

Former Pomperaug standout Tim Keegan returns as a receivers coach for offensive coordinator Steve Croce. Keegan, who played collegiately at Marist College, helped the Panthers to three straight playoff appearances from 2001-03.

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